Several compounds in the family of 2-substituted-thiazolidine-4-carboxylates or carboxylate analogs (2-substituted-THZ) are known. One of the compounds in this family, 2-oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (OTC), has been shown to have some effect in protecting mice against acetominophen hepatotoxicity (Nagasawa, H. T., et al. J, Med. Chem. 1984, 27, 591-596). This compound has also been shown to have some effect in raising glutathione levels in cultured rabbit lenses in vitro (Holleschan, A. M., et al., Lens Research, 3(1-2), 1097-118 (1986)). However, these efforts did not demonstrate that OTC or other compounds in the THZ family had any effect on cataracts.